Editing The Band (section)

==Musical style==
[[File:The Band - 2005710051.jpg|thumb|right|The Band in Hamburg, 1971: (left to right) Manuel, Danko, Robertson, and Helm]]
The Band's style "thematically and musically fuse[d] the past and the present" by combining various genres.<ref name=":3" />  Although primarily incorporating old [[country music]] and early [[rock and roll]], the [[rhythm section]] often was reminiscent of [[Stax Records|Stax]]- or [[Motown]]-style rhythm and blues, and Robertson cites [[Curtis Mayfield]] and the [[Staple Singers]] as major influences, resulting in a [[wikt:synthesis|synthesis]] of many [[musical genre]]s. Singers Manuel, Danko, and Helm each brought a distinctive voice to The Band: Helm's [[Southern American English|Southern]] accent was prevalent in his raw and powerful vocals, Danko sang tenor with a distinctively choppy enunciation, and Manuel alternated between falsetto and a soulful baritone. The singers regularly blended in [[Vocal harmony|harmonies]]. Though the singing was more or less evenly shared among the three, both Danko and Helm have stated that they saw Manuel as The Band's "lead" singer.<ref>''Classic albums: The Band'' documentary, 1997.</ref>

Every member was a multi-instrumentalist. There was little instrument-switching when they played live, but when recording, the musicians could make up different configurations in service of the songs. Hudson in particular was able to coax a wide range of [[timbre]]s from his [[Lowrey organ]]. Helm's drumming was often praised: critic Jon Carroll declared that Helm was "the only drummer who can make you cry," while prolific session drummer [[Jim Keltner]] admits to appropriating several of Helm's techniques.<ref>Hoskyns, 189.</ref> Producer John Simon is often cited as a "sixth member" of The Band for producing and playing on ''Music from Big Pink'', co-producing and playing on ''The Band'', and playing on other songs up through The Band's 1993 reunion album ''Jericho''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fEA7MuMoLqcC&q=john+simon+sixth+member+of+the+band&pg=PA239 |title=Barney Hoskyns&nbsp;– ''Across the Great Divide: The Band and America'' |isbn=9781423414421 |access-date=October 18, 2011|last=Hoskyns |first=Barney |author-link=Barney Hoskyns |year=2006 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation }}</ref>